Episode 04: Korean Pyungmul Drummers

Korean pyungmul drummers Liz Suk and Jaeeun Jun shared about the informal group of Bay Area drummers rooted in the former Korean Youth Cultural Center, Jaemaesori, Ieumsae, and other Korean drumming groups who come together to offer collaborative music and beats in the spirit of liberation from the tradition of Korean folk drumming called pyungmul. Along the way, they talk about the parallels between the Nakba and on-going occupation of Palestine with the war on the Korean Peninsula, and the militarization, borders, and forced displacement and separation of Korean families. They also offer an incredible reflection on how cultural work offered in street protests can go from being a transactional energy drain to a shared expression of our hopes for collective liberation.